Harvard expert Dr. Maureen Achebe says Nigeria bears the world’s highest sickle cell burden, urging early screening and pre-marital testing to save lives.
Dr. Maureen Achebe, a director at Harvard Medical School, has projected that the cost of sickle cell disease in Sub-Saharan Africa may rise from $9.1 billion to $10.2 billion by 2030. Speaking at a lecture hosted by the Centre of Excellence for Sickle Cell Disease Research and Training, University of Abuja, Achebe said Nigeria has the highest global burden, recording 150,000 new cases annually.
“Nigeria carries the highest burden of sickle cell disease in the world… most of the babies born in Nigeria with sickle cell disease today will die before their fifth birthday,” she warned.
She advocated newborn screening and pre-marital testing to reduce mortality and improve outcomes. “We need to find those babies before they get sick… prevent pneumonia, malaria, and give vaccinations,” she added.
Centre Director Prof. Obiageli Nnodu called for better awareness and healthcare access, while Acting Vice Chancellor Prof. Patricia Lar, represented by Prof. Titus Ibekwe, emphasized the importance of voluntary pre-marital screening.